About the Property Rights Ombudsman

The Office of the Property Rights Ombudsman is an independent, neutral office in the Utah Department of Commerce that safeguards the property rights of the citizens of Utah. The Office assists citizens and government agencies in understanding and complying with property rights laws, resolves disputes, and advocates fairness and balance when private rights conflict with public needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Office is a division in the Utah Department of Commerce, and is established by state statute. It currently is staffed by three attorneys who are knowledgeable in eminent domain, takings, and land use law–Jordan Cullimore, Marcie Jones, and Richard Plehn. The Office is additionally staffed by Rob Terry (MPA AICP), a professional planner who serves as the Statewide Land Use Training Director, and Cyndy Nelson, the Office's Administrative Secretary. Oversight of the Office is provided by the Land Use and Eminent Domain Advisory Board, a seven-member body comprised of public and private stakeholders appointed by the Governor.

The OPRO helps citizens and government officials with matters related to takings, eminent domain, and land use law in several ways, including resolving disputes through education, negotiation, mediation, arbitration and Advisory Opinions.

Inform and Educate: The OPRO can answer questions, explain the law and legal processes, and review options available to solve and avoid problems.
Negotiation: The Ombudsman can be a liaison between property owners and local or state officials to discuss a matter or potential dispute. The Office will attempt to help everyone understand the perspective of the others involved, and try to find an objective resolution. The involvement of the OPRO also helps minimize the impact of strong personal feelings.
Mediation: The Ombudsman can convene a meeting with the parties, and facilitate settlement discussions. By doing so, the OPRO will assist all parties to evaluate facts and issues and reach a resolution to the dispute.
Arbitration: At the request of the property owner, the Ombudsman can arrange arbitration, and require the condemning entity to participate. A neutral third party decides the matter, after considering the positions of all parties.
Advisory Opinions: The OPRO can research specific issues of land use law, and prepare an Advisory Opinion that attempts to resolve the dispute in accordance with the prevailing law.

The Office's mandate is primarily to assist in disputes that involve some state or local government entity. The Ombudsman typically does not get involved in disputes purely between private parties except in certain very narrow instances, such as when one of the private parties has condemnation rights under state law, or in disputes regarding the relocation or modification of an easement for a water conveyance facility on private property. However, do not hesitate to contact the OPRO with questions, and an attorney in our office will let you know how we can best assist you.

This following published articles explain the history and function of the Office of the Property Rights Ombudsman.

Craig M. Call, Resolving Land Use and Impact Fee Disputes: Utah's Innovative Ombudsman Program, The Urban Lawyer, Volume 42, Number 4/Volume 43, Number 1, Fall 2010/Winter 2011.

Craig M. Call, Article: Adventures in Land Use Dispute Resolution: Utah's Innovative Program to Provide "Free" Legal Advice to Local Government, Neighbors, and Property Owners, 5 J. Comp. Urb. L. & Pol'y 375 (2022).